Match Report

Tranmere started 2014 with a hard fought 1-1 draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Prenton Park.

Ryan Lowe put Rovers 1-0 up but the visitors claimed a point with a second half strike from Dave Edwards.

Though Wolves had the majority of possession in a game that saw both teams end with ten men, there were chances for either team to clinch all three points.

Ronnie Moore made three changes to the team that started against Sheffield United as new loan signings Stephen Arthurworrey and Matthew Pennington made their debuts in defence and captain James Wallace returned from a head injury.

Wolves broke on the counter attack in the first minute and Bakary Sako brought a save out of Owain Fon Williams from outside the area and the midfielder side footed wide from 15 yards 14 minutes later.

However, the visitors were reduced to ten men on 19 minutes. Wallace and Andy Robinson combined in the Wolves half with Robinson playing a pass between the Wolves centre backs for Ryan Lowe to run on to. Lowe got in front of Richard Stearman and was pulled down by the centre back right on the edge of the penalty area and referee Darren Deadman showed him a straight red card.

Jason Koumas saw his shot from the resulting free kick deflect just past the post for a corner and Ash Taylor fired wide from Robinson's cross moments later.

Robinson's shot on the turn from the left side of the Wolves area deflected into the side netting on 31 minutes and three minutes later Rovers took the lead. After Ridehalgh kept possession on the left the ball was played across to Taylor who spotted a gap in the opposition and surged past the halfway line. The defender chipped a pass over the back four and Lowe stretched out his leg to poke the ball past Carl Ikeme and just inside the right hand post.

Fon Williams kept Tranmere ahead on 38 minutes with two strong saves in quick succession. The keeper dived to his right to push Michael Jacob's shot away from goal before getting down quickly at the back post to keep out Danny Batth's header from the resulting corner.

The numbers were evened up a minute before half time, with Wallace shown a straight red card for a high challenge on Ethan Ebanks-Landell inside the Wolves half.

Wolves brought on Scott Golbourne in place of Ebanks-Landell for the second half and the visitors had the better of the opening stages of the second half. Despite a couple of corners for Rovers and a shot from Koumas that went wide, Wolves were quickly back on the attack and equalised on 54 minutes. A cross from the left found Dave Edwards on the penalty spot and the defender powered a volley into the net via the hand of Fon Williams.

The Rovers keeper tipped over a curling shot from Jacobs on 57 minutes and watched on as Sako curled high over the bar soon after.

Kris Peterson couldn't react quickly enough to a shooting chance on 61 minutes following a corner and Griffiths brought a save out of Fon Williams as the game swung from end to end.

Moore brought on Jake Kirby for Robinson and moved Peterson to the left wing on 64 minutes. The change almost made an immediate impact with Peterson going past Edwards and cutting into the Wolves area but his cross was cut out for a corner. Wolves quickly countered from the set piece with Griffiths bursting past Koumas and towards the area only for Pennington to intercept his pass for substitute Kevin Doyle.

Wolves gifted Peterson a chance on 69 minutes with a misplaced pass that sent the winger through on goal but after cutting past two defenders he ran out of space and the ball was cleared for a corner.

After Jacobs curled over the Tranmere bar, Rovers brought on Max Power in place of Koumas to add fresh legs to the midfield.

Sako curled a free kick over the bar on 81 minutes while Rovers thought they'd clinched a late winner when Lowe turned in Peterson's cross on 88 minutes but the flag was raised for offside against the striker.

Fon Williams had to save from David Davis in the fourth minute of added time and Pennington was on hand to clear before Doyle could pounce on the loose ball.